In a surprising move, Saudi Arabia arrests princes and ex-ministers amid “anti-corruption crackdown.” 11 princes, and dozens of ministers were arrested in sweeping purge.
So in one day, #SaudiArabia turned the table in #Lebanon, was hit by a ballistic missile from #Yemen, and arrested few Royals. #Wow
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) November 4, 2017
I compiled few tweets by the insightful Nibras Kazimi commenting on this unprecedented move.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
1. To get a sense of things, consider how novel it is to introduce the word 'corruption' into the Saudi lexicon of 'doing things.'
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
3. Lid is to be replaced with Bin Salman sitting on whatever is bubbling below. My sense is that even he doesn't know what's down there.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
5. Yet Bin Salman is a linchpin of America's policy for the region. The math simply doesn't add up.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
6. Sending out Saad Hariri to herald latest salvo/iteration of a Saudi "we've had enough" tantrum warrants a head scratch among observers.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
9. Just to be clear: I'm sympathetic to these Bin Salman attempts. How can one not be. But just too 'alien' given all the other indicators.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
10. And certainly US policy shouldn't be counting too much on this digression from 'normal'. Last 9 months have demonstrated that. END
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
12. Which makes yesterday’s public humiliation of Mit’eb all that more puzzling. Unnecessary, and connotation of corruption over the top.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
14. These networks, within military, tribal, financial, religious frameworks held Saudi rule together. Same method running back 300 years.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
16. Without intermediary ‘lid’ of co-opted, well compensated elite, his bid can only go in two directions: ‘democracy’ or totalitarianism.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) November 5, 2017
Also worth reading this FT’s report
Graft clampdown is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's most dramatic power play yet. https://t.co/tYH7szG9QE
— Financial Times (@FT) November 5, 2017
Nervana